The year was 2004 and a handful of well-traveled people sat around a table in the heart of the Zimbabwean wilderness. With backgrounds in tourism, development and conservation, they knew they wanted to do something great. They wanted to use their passion and skills to start a travel company that made a difference. They wanted to introduce people to the Africa they knew and loved.
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The People. The Wildlife. The Magic.
This is where we started: a small organisation with big dreams
When we opened our doors to our first batch of international volunteers, we were a small, family-run organization with big dreams. It didn’t take long to see that there were a lot more people like us. People who wanted to travel while truly experiencing a country at its best, and worst. People who wanted to genuinely connect with the local people and to leave a place better than they found it. We grew and opened new volunteer projects in new countries across southern Africa.
”Africa changes you. With African Impact, whether you're 18 or 80, you come for adventure, conservation, and community, and you leave with a huge network of friends and bucket-list experiences under your belt. It's not about us changing Africa; it's about Africa changing you - and that change stays with you forever.
Ali ConnManaging Director
Growing Into an Authentic Volunteering Organisation
As the industry grew we recognized that doing the right thing, being responsible, doing good, and still providing travel experiences was, at times, complicated. We grappled with what we were… a travel company? A tourism company? How was the volunteer experience related to the impact they made? The industry was evolving, and so were we.
We are incredibly lucky to have an amazing team of people behind African Impact, most who started as volunteers and have been on this journey since the beginning. This is our strength and what has allowed us, over the years, to go beyond volunteering, to focus on what it does best; provide an exchange of ideas and mindsets.
We’ve learned that if a community has total buy-in and ownership of a project – and a volunteer is truly informed about their own role and contribution to this – together it has the power to transform both. It’s a beautiful thing and we witness it every day on our projects.
Ultimately, our goal at African Impact is to combine genuine impacts with extraordinary experiences and with our wonderful team, bring that to life for you!
Our Awards Over The Years
There are many responsible tourism awards that we take great pride in being affiliated with. These awards not only affirm the high quality and responsible management of our projects but also give recognition to our project teams who work so hard to create a great volunteer experience on the ground.
Outstanding Contribution to the SDG's
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 goals that were adopted by the United Nations in 2015. The goals are designed to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030.
The Outstanding Contribution to the SDGs Award recognises organisations that have made a significant contribution to the achievement of the SDGs. The award is given to an organisation that has demonstrated innovation, creativity and impact in its work.
We’ve been recognised for our contribution through our Female Empowerment Projects in Livingstone, Zambia.
The African Impact Way
We believe in the spirit of Africa and that your experience is just as important as your impact. Volunteering is a two-way thing. It’s not just about the help and skills that you can bring; it’s also about what this amazing continent, its people, and its wildlife can give you in return.
Our mission is to deliver the best international volunteer experiences in Africa with long-lasting impact for both the communities we work in, as well as the volunteers travelling with us.
Responsible Volunteering
Responsible Travel is about travellers making informed and responsible choices, and planing trips which have a positive impact on the country they’re visiting. Ensuring that our projects are making a viable impact in local communities and contribute sustainably to conservation is our priority.
The African Impact Foundation
The African Impact Foundation supports the sustainability of our programs and is your way to continue supporting our work.
Stay Connected With Us
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Join our team and work for African Impact! We always want to hear from curious and interested volunteers who are looking to join our tribe.
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